Running Cured Every Problem Kel Had
by Kelly Masbolle
Summary: A short romantic vignette - about stables, rum, badges and being besmitten. Read to find the pairing.


Running cured every problem Kel had. She could run away from something fast enough to think it through and then return to face it with the Yamani Lump replacing emotional and vulnerable Kel.

So the fact that she had tripped on the stairs, ripped Lady Emelia's dress, spilt wine on the King and then insulted Neal (accidentally – but he didn't seem to take it that way) – Kel knew that she could politely excuse herself from the evening's festivities and run.

Sure, she was carrying her shoes and her feet pounded from the harsh and cold cobblestones, but escaping was the best choice until she could conclude a plan of action.

Slowly she escaped the hallways of the castle, where there was an echoing cry of "Kel!" from the hall – possibly Seaver sneaking out to see if he could find her, and reached green grass, and a winding path down to the stables.

Surprisingly, as she approached closer, there was a figure leaning against the stable wall. He was long and lanky, and had "flippant" hair, the sort that never sat right. He reminded Kel distinctly of Dom, from the distance.

She shook herself straight and truly questioned her judgement this time. He looked like Dom. He looked lonely. He looked distant and he looked as if he needed love. Kel needed a little love. Yeah?

So she ran directly across the field to the stables, where the shadows shaded the figure and her. He stood, and Kel still hadn't caught his face.

She strode up to him, and took the greatest step of her life. She kissed a shadowed face, which was possibly just an illusion she had conjured to help her get through the evening.

He felt like a warrior, and wore an embroidered tunic, the sign of a fighter. He was warm and he kissed back with all his might. His hands grappled around the back her of dress as she tried hold back her own surprise as having kissed him.

It was an eternity, an endless kiss that they broke out of. Something longing, something hopeful had lingered. It was sweet and loving. And Kel felt happy – until she realised she had no idea who she had kissed.

As she stepped back, she realised he had no idea too.

"You are?"

"I'm…"

Kel blushed at the sheer stupidity of the situation. Maybe she had drunk a little too much – that would have explained everything tonight.

"Keladry of Mindelan."

"I wouldn't have picked you for random kisses in the night."

Kel looked carefully, and the shadows still confounded her. "So, you are?"

"Not Dom." He laughed. "We all have heard a whisper about that."

Kel felt like growling. The stupid palace couldn't keep _anything_ to itself. Just because someone liked someone didn't mean the world needed to know.

"So, _who _are you?" She asked, obviously panicking a little at the surrounding circumstances.

He leant back against the stable wall. "Someone who was just kissed by a lady knight. Someone who the lady knight, truthfully, doesn't need to know." He pulled her in and kissed her again, plum on the lips.

"A womaniser, that's for sure." She whispered against him.

Kel dragged her hand down his arm and stood away again. "Good evening, sir."

She turned and ran away hand carefully clasped.

---

"Kel. Kel! I'm not angry – open the bloody door!"

Kel looked up from her collapsed state on the bed. Something had caused her to merely fall onto bed, and sleep – well into the morning. She pushed herself sideways off the bed and rolled to standing.

She unlocked the door and let in Neal.

"I forgive you, Kel, for whatever it was that you said. But – I want to know what happened to you!"

Kel sat silently on the side of her bed. "I don't know," She stated, mutely.

He sat beside her and peeled open her hand, which was clasping something. Kel looked down, surprised that she was still holding something. A shield of some sort, and embroidery, and text.

"Commander?" she asked, still half-asleep, still wary.

Neal laughed wryly. "You stole the badge of Evin Larse, Commander of the Queen's Riders. Oh – what a night!"

Kel blushed as it all came back to her – the hallways flying by, the soft grass beneath her feet, the hands and the shadows… "Goddess."

She bustled Neal out of the room – stealing back the badge, and locking the door.

Quickly she threw off the dress, theory being Lalasa would understand, and threw on some clothes, nice soft shirt and breeches, as well as a tunic for warmth. Seconds later, with the badge in hand, she flew out of the door, a hapless Neal still waiting by.

She walked briskly, as Neal followed, trying to offer his "advice."

"You looked rather nice last night. I liked the brown dress. Red is also a nice colour. How did you get the badge? Who gave it to you? Evin was going out with this girl Miri, lovely bird, but they have been resigned to friendship. Yuki said you looked nice last night. The King was hilarious."

Kel stopped and turned, smiling sickly sweet. "Neal. Yuki said she had an outing planned today. And I'm returning Evin's badge, and from what I've heard the two of you would be a dangerous pair. So…"

He had zoned out at the word "Yuki" so Kel let him wander off happily in search of his betrothed.

---

A great crash was heard inside the room. "Where the hell is it! I had it yesterday!"

Kel knocked patiently on the door.

"Miri – I told you I'll be down soon – not like it's _my week off_ or anything!"

Kel knocked again.

"Oh – Gods damn – I'm com-" The door opened to a surprised and dishevelled man. "Lady Keladry. What a pleasure."

She shrugged. "Can I come in?"

He stood for a second, vaguely staring. "Oh – yes, of course. Ignore the mess. I've gone and lost, something."

"That's why I've-"

Evin waved past Kel, as Miri walked up and leant against the door. "Are you coming Commander – breakfast is almost over. Hi milady."

Evin shuffled some mess around on the floor. "Of course. Care to join us, milady?"

Kel shrugged again. "It's Kel."

---

Miri stacked plates carefully and carried them off. She had to go run some training drills with some of the younger ones. Evin sat casually on his seat, and Kel grinned wryly.

"So you were saying – you lost something?" she asked, affected by the casual camaraderie that the Riders shared.

He looked down at his shoulder. "See, my Commander's badge has gone! Buri is going to skin me for this."

Kel grinned, and slid her hand across the table. "This it?"

He looked carefully at her, and then lifted her hand off, showing a carefully sewn piece of fabric. "Where did you find this?"

She looked at him carefully. Did he remember the night before, the night where she had been a little too tipsy? He looked at her, and tried to retrace his steps.

He hadn't been up in the palace since Lady Emelia had told him to stop bothering her. That was three days ago. Then he had partied at the bawdy dance the Riders had had two nights ago, and when there was the evening event on, he had waited around his second home the stables, with a handy bottle of rum.

That's when he raised his eyebrows. "Random kisses in the night?"

She glared at him carefully. "I was running and I was tipsy. And you looked an awful lot like-"

"Dom."

She glared at him again. "Oh, ha ha. You're so funny. Mr Romantic-Commander."

"Yeah, but I got your name," he said, "And you – you called me a womaniser – great trade off."

Kel was becoming flustered. Larse, no, the _Commander_, spoke too loud in the Rider hall, and he was far too open. She couldn't handle this sort of _blatant _indifference!

"You've got your badge back. So I'll be heading back to the real world now. Thankyou for your time sir." She left, coldly.

---

Buri was waiting in her rooms when she got back.

Kel smiled. "Lady Goldenlake, how are you?"

"You're a sweetheart, aren't you," Buri replied, standing from the chair in the corner. "You know it's Buri and Raoul is Raoul."

Kel glanced up grinning. "Sure, sure. And I'm not the 'Protector of the Small.' What brings you here?"

Buri walked over and sat Kel down on the bed. "I don't mean to startle you, but I have reason to believe you may have kissed a womanising rider commander."

"Which one?" Kel didn't believe she knew.

She sighed in reply. "Kel, Kel, what will we do with you!" She stood and gestured his height and stature, standing on her tiptoes. "He was yea high, and lanky, and for sure a relation of the Queenscove line. And he likes you."

Kel blinked and shook her head in frustration. "I barely know the man. A meeting here or there, and, and…"

"A kiss beside the stables?"

Kel shook her head. "I'm fine on my own."

Buri was halfway out the door, but turned, to quip, "That's what I thought."

---

Ah, nothing is more comforting then a solid wall and rum. Those were the thoughts of Evin Larse, as he sat, yet again, by the stables. Last night had been enjoyable. To say the least. He felt his heart leap, as a woman ran across and kissed him, sweetly. That was always, always him. And then, to find out she was the beautiful, challenging and alluring Keladry of Mindelan, nothing had made him feel more alive.

So, in the hope of a repeat and an explanation, Evin planned on spending the majority of the evening away from the ballroom and though the rum wasn't needed, it would make him a happy man if nothing happened.

But there was that shadow again. In the same dress, though much more crumpled, and carrying the same shoes. She ran across the grass and stood in front of him.

He handed her the bottle and she sat down next to him, taking a swig.

Her smile was lopsided up close, and her eyes twinkled. "I may have had a glass or two before I left my room. But, I want some womanising rider to sweep me off my feet, for a week with romance, chivalry and too much time near stables."

"I thought you didn't drink."

"I didn't – not till yesterday – when Dom danced with Lady Emelia and my loneliness was left out in the cold. And then, wine tasted nice. And then the King… Oh, Goddess."

Kel started sobbing.

Evin put his arm around her, and wiped away the tears.


End file.
